![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-1739014914.jpg\")
\n\t\tAmy just can\u2019t stop hitting that \u2018buy\u2019 button (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tAmy just can\u2019t stop hitting that \u2018buy\u2019 button (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
With the average first-time buyer deposit<\/a> now at over \u00a368,000, most of us need to cut our cloth to get on the property ladder.<\/p>\n Despite her enviable \u00a385,000 salary, this week\u2019s Money Problem<\/a> reader, Amy, is among those finding it hard to save \u2014 but her issues have nothing to do with the cost of living<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 34-year-old from Birmingham<\/a> is a self-confessed shopping addict, blowing cash on updating her wardrobe rather than building her nest egg.<\/p>\n Desparate to get a handle on her finances and become a homeowner, Amy reached out to Metro consumer champion, Sarah Davidson, for help.<\/p>\n The problem\u2026<\/p>\n I know this is my own fault but I\u2019m struggling to save a deposit to buy<\/a> my first home because I keep spending money. I order something almost every day \u2014 clothes, shoes, bags. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\tReady to start your homebuying journey?\t\t\t<\/p>\n You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from:<\/p>\n \u2013 Award winning service from the UK\u2019s leading mortgage broker<\/p>\n \u2013 Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week<\/p>\n \u2013 Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market<\/p>\n Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won\u2019t charge you a fee for their advice.<\/p>\n Find out how much you could borrow online<\/a><\/p>\n Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.<\/p>\n It was bad enough when I was buying from shops but now I\u2019m completely addicted to buying second hand through apps and I convince myself I need something because it\u2019s such good value. <\/p>\n \t\t My boyfriend and I want to buy a house together and he\u2019s been really good at saving his half of the deposit. He\u2019s now got just under \u00a315,000 in his Lifetime ISA<\/a>, whereas I\u2019ve been saving for the same amount of time but have only got \u00a31,890 in my account. <\/p>\n I finally came clean with him and said I haven\u2019t been saving what I said I would. He\u2019s fuming. I earn \u00a385,000 a year as a recruiter and he\u2019s on \u00a355,000. <\/p>\n I do want to buy the house \u2014 I just can\u2019t stop myself from hitting the buy button on my phone<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tWhat’s your advice for Amy’s situation?<\/p>\n Focus on saving for the house to build a secure future.Check<\/p>\n Discuss with her boyfriend about setting mutual financial goals.Check<\/p>\n Seek professional help to manage her shopping habits.Check<\/p>\n Consider if homeownership is truly what she wants.Check<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tSign up to Metro\u2019s The Key newsletter for must-read property stories, DIY hacks and tips for buying a home.<\/p>\n The answer\u2026<\/p>\n I have a question for you Amy. Do you actually want to buy this house? You seem to like buying everything else (I empathise, I\u2019m a shopper too).<\/p>\n There are two ways to look at this and I can\u2019t quite tell which side of the coin you\u2019re on. Heads, you don\u2019t want to buy the house and are making excuses. Tails, you have a shopping addiction<\/a> you are not in control of and you\u2019ve lied to your boyfriend as a result.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll be honest, I can\u2019t help you on the first of those scenarios \u2013 that\u2019s one for you and your boyfriend to figure out. If it\u2019s the latter however, there are several things you can do.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tMore Metro Money Problems\t\t\t<\/p>\n Being addicted to shopping is just the same as being addicted to smoking, alcohol or gambling. And all addictions ultimately stem from the same need: dopamine, the feel-good hormone released in your brain when you get pleasure from something.<\/p>\n This situation is almost certainly not about clothes or shoes but about your need for the rush you get when you buy something, and then again when you receive it.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to stop the cycle because you are literally depriving your brain of a chemical it has got used to having. It\u2019s a drug like any other and you\u2019re going to suffer withdrawal.<\/p>\n \t\t Right, that bitter pill swallowed, here\u2019s how you could go about it.<\/p>\n Make it harder to shop on your phone. Delete your digital wallet, delete your saved card details, delete all buy now, pay later apps, delete all shopping apps, take any social media<\/a> apps you shop through off your phone.<\/p>\n Have a rule \u2014 anything you want to buy, save it and wait 24 hours.<\/p>\n Use tech do the heavy lifting. You\u2019re currently saving into a Lifetime ISA<\/a> and that\u2019s a great idea given you\u2019re saving a deposit to buy your first home. But how you do that practically can have a big impact.<\/p>\n There are loads of apps that help you save in the background without you having to do a thing. Try Plum or Moneybox.<\/p>\n A lot of banks now also allow you automatically sweep money into a savings<\/a> account as you spend, and some current accounts now let you set up \u2018pots\u2019 where you can ringfence money for certain things.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDon’t miss our Money tips! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n At Metro Money, we’re here to bring you all the latest news and advice on personal finance, cost of living, saving and investing. As part of our vibrant community of highly engaged readers, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \t\t Create a pot called \u2018money I didn\u2019t spend on clothes\u2019. Every time you don\u2019t buy something, put the money you would have spent into this pot. Then, set up a rule to transfer the money in that pot into your Lifetime Isa at the end of each week \u2014 once it\u2019s in there it\u2019s a lot harder to spend.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a good idea to set up a standing order to make a regular fixed payment into your LISA as well \u2014 this doesn\u2019t need to be a lot. Start with \u00a325 a week if you need to.<\/p>\n Finally, make the motivation tangible. Create a Pinterest board and satisfy your scrolling need by finding all the things you can get for your home once you\u2019ve bought it<\/a>.<\/p>\n Walking into your new home will give you the same dopamine hit \u2014 and it\u2019ll be a big one by the time it comes.<\/p>\n Do you have a story to share?<\/p>\n Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Young](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2218614274.jpg\")
\n\t\tDeliveries arriving provides a major dopamine hit (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Young](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-1484807556.jpg\")
\n\t\tSarah says it\u2019ll all feel worth it when she gets the keys (Picture: Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/SEI280784796-2946.png\")
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